Beam support for knitting machines



Jan. 13, 11953 J. B/ADAM BEAM SUPPORT FOR KNITTING MACHINES 2SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 27, 1951 FIE--lw m E N 1 dosgpk Adam, BY

E W N R 0 w A Jan. 13, 1953 D 2,625,022

BEAM SUPPORT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 27, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2INVENTOR:

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 BEAM SUPPORT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Joseph BrookeAdam, Jackson, Ala., assignor to Vanity Fair Mills, Inc., Reading, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 27, 1951, Serial No.238,937

7 Claims.

This invention relates to warp knitting machines and the like of thetype having long beams or other similar elements, which are divided intotwo or more sections alignedly supported at their ends, and moreparticularly to the supportin and connecting means for such beamsections or elements.

The supporting and connecting means for the sectional warp beams of Warpknitting machines have heretofore been found more or less unsatisfactorydue to certain structural and functional difiiculties resulting inconnection with their use. For example, it has been found that suchmeans usually permit play, or back-lash, to take place between the beamsections, resulting in imperfections appearing in the knitted fabricproduced by the machine.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel supporting andconnecting device for the indicated beams or similar parts of warpknitting machines and the like.

Another object is to provide such a device hav ing certain structuraland functional features of advantage over the similar devices of theprior art.

A further object is to provide such a device which is simple inconstruction, positive in its transmission of power and has adjustablemeans for eliminating any initial back-lash in the rotative movementbetween the sections.

Another object is to provide such a device having novel means forefiecting connection between the beam sections and comprising a train ofgears including a pair of spur gears and a pair of matched pinions heldin mesh with the spur gears.

An additional object is to provide for adjustment of the said pinionsrelative to the spur gears to eliminate back-lash between them.

It is also an object to provide such a device having a novel bearingsupport that will maintain accurate alignment between the sections ofthe beam.

.With these and other objects in view, which will become more readilyapparent from the following detailed description of the practical andillustrative embodiments of my invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings, the invention comprises the novel supporting and connectingdevice, elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts incooperative relationship, as more particularly defined by the heretoappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of aconventional warp knitting machine having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially as indicatedby the arrows 2-2 in Figure 1, and shows certain details of my noveldevice.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, substantially as indicated by thearrows 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a modified form of mydevice.

It will be helpful to a clear understanding of my invention to firstbriefly consider the more important aspects and features thereof so thatthese may be kept in mind during the subsequent reading of the detaileddescription of the practical and illustrative embodiments of myimprovements shown in the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, it. isnoted that the means heretofore available for supporting and connectingthe beams of warp knitting machines, usually included some means forestablishing connection between the beam sections, such as s-pliningmeans or a conical male and female connector. It has been found inpractice that such connections develop back-lash and looseness betweenthe adjacent warp beam sections with the result that irregularitiesdevelop in the stitch formation of the fabric produced by the knittingmachine.

In accordance with my invention, the support and the connection of thebeam sections is made positive so that no relative movement betweenadjacent warp beam sections can take place at any time. This isaccomplished by the use of novel interconnecting means between the beamsections which keeps these sections in perfect positive alignment witheach other at all times. The interconnecting means is supplemented by afixed bearing support located intermediate the interconnecting means inorder to provide perfect alignment of both beam sections with theirsupport. In this manner the sections of a beam are held for rotation ona true center throughout the length of the warp knitting machine.

Uniform rotative movement of the beam sections is secured by the use ofa pair of spur gears which are located adjacent each other, one gearbeing mounted on the end of one beam section and the other gear on theend of the adjacent beam section. A pair of matching pinions carried bya jack shaft is adapted to simultaneously mesh with these spur gears soas to transmit the motion of one beam section through this train ofgears to the other beam section. The pinions are adjustable with theirjack shaft so as to keep them in perfect mesh with the spur gears at alltimes, so as to prevent backlash between the teeth of the spur gears andpinions and in turn between the beam section.

Referring now more particularly to the figures of the drawings in whichlike reference characters indicate like parts, the standard orconventional warp knitting machine illustrated in Figure 1 comprises ausual frame which includes the uprights I, 2 and 3, that are suitablyspaced and connected for the support of an upper and lower warp beam,each of which is made up of right and left sections indicatedrespectively by the numerals 4 and 5.

Each of the sections comprises a hollow shaft which is adapted to bejournaled in any desired manner in the uprights l and 3, at the ends ofthe beam. The inner adjacent ends of these hollow shafts are supportedby a short interconnecting shaft or stud 6 which has a large diameterportion on one side and a small diameter portion on the other side. Thelarge diameter portion of this connecting shaft is mounted and keyed tothe end of the right hand beam section 4 and the small diameter portionof the connecting shaft is journaled in a bearing 1 provided for thesupport of both beam sections in the upright 2. For this purpose, thesmall diameter portion of the connecting shaft fi extends into thebearing sleeve 3 which is provided in the end of the left hand beamsection '5 and is suitably keyed or otherwise fastened thereto. In thismanner, both beam sections are brought into perfect alignment with eachother and with their supporting bearing 1 in the upright 2.

Keyed to the outside of the inner end of the right hand beam section -4is a large spur gear 6 andkeyed to the inner end of the left hand beamsection 5 is a corresponding spur gear 10. These gears are located oneon each side of the upright 3 and adjacent thereto fora purpose thatwill presently appear.

Mounted to'swing on the upright'Z, in a bracket ll provided for thispurpose, are a pair of arms 1 l2 and 13. Arm l2 has journaled in itsouter end the pivot shaft l4 which has a pair of identical pinions l5and i6 keyed to-the ends thereof. These pinions are spaced laterally onthe pivot shaft .114 so as to mesh with the spur gears 9 and 10,respectively, and may be collectively-adjusted toward and aWay fromthese gears by properly positioning a bracket Ii. For this purpose-thearm 13 is provided with a segmental slot F! for engagement by a clampingbolt [8 which is threaded in the upright 2. When-the stud shaft 18 isloosened the arm l3 and with it the arm l2 and .pinions l5 and 16 may beswung on the bracket II so as to bring the teeth of these pinions inperfect mesh with the teeth of the gears 9 and 10. In thisposition thepinions may be locked in place by tightening the bolt 18 so as to firmlyclamp the arm [-3 in place on the upright 2.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that r0- tative movement of onesection of the beam will result in a unitary movement of both sections.For example, the movement of the driven right hand beam section 4willhave its gear 9 transmit its motion through the pinion 5 to thepivot shaft I4, from which the pinion It continues to transmit thismotion through gear ID to the'left hand beam section 5. This'takes placewhile both beam sections are accurately held aligned with each other attheir point of connection. simple driving connection, in combinationwith the novel support of the adjacent ends of the beam sectionsprovides uniformity of operation and prevents irregularitiesin thestitchformation of the fabric produced by the machine.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modified form of device for establishinga support and driving connection of the beam sections in accordance withmy invention. To avoid redundancy of descriptive matter, the parts ofthe modified form of my invention that are similar to the parts of thedevice already described, are identified by the same referencecharacters having the exponent a applied thereto.

In the modification, the bearing support located between the beamsections and in the upright 2, comprises a roller bearing l The largeside of the connecting shaft 6 is mounted in a sleeve 6! and both theconnecting shaft and the sleeve are pinned together and to the end ofthe left hand beam section 4 by a pin 6. The connecting shaft 6 isrotatively supported by the roller bearing I and extends into thebearing sleeve 8 fastened into the end of the left hand beam section 5by means of the pin 8 In this manner the right and left hand beamsections are accurately aligned and perfectly journaled-and supported byan antifriction bearing.

Transmission of the rotative movement from one beam section to the otheris secured :by gears 9 and 10 and pinions LS and I E, in the manner asabove described, except that the pivot shaft M, which carries thepinions 15 and 16 is-supported in a roller bearin .20 which in' turn ismounted in an eccentric 21. The latter is rotatively supported in theupright 2 and is provided with an arm 22 with which it can be rotativelyshifted to adjust the pinions l5 and lfi toward and away from the gears9 and Ill, so as to bring together and keep the corresponding gears andpinions in perfect mesh with each other. A clamping bolt 23 threadedinto the upright 2 and passing through a suitable segmental slot 24 inthe arm 22 is used to lock the eccentric in its properly adjustedposition.

The yarn is wound on spools thatare carried and rotated by the beamsections in the usual manner. In Figure 1 the novel driving connectionbetween the beam sections is more definitely indicated only for the twolower sections of the warp knitting machine, however, it is to beunderstood that upper driving connection between'the beam sections alsoincludes the novel mechanism as, illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3 or4.

Of course, the noveiimprovements specifically shown and describedcanibechanged and modified in various ways, without departing from theinvention herein disclosed andmore particular- 1y defined by the heretoappendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, fixedlysupported bearing means, a connecting shaft rotatively supportedintermediate its ends in said bearing means with a positive drivingconnection with one of said beam sections and a supporting connectionfor the other of said beam sections, and gear means operativelyconnecting said beam sections for joint rotative movement with eachother and said connecting shaft.

2. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, fixedlysupported bearing means. a connecting shaft rotativel-y supported insaid bearing means with-a positive driving connection with the end ofone of the beam-sections and an interconnected support .of-the end ofthe adjacent beam section, a spur-gear carried by each of saidbeam-sections one on eachsideof said fixed bearing means, and .a pair ofpinions held for joint rotative movement in mesh with said gears so asto transmit rotation of one of said beam sections to the other of saidbeam sections.

3. In combination with the aligned tubular beam sections of warpknitting machine or the like, of fixedly supported bearing means, aconnecting shaft rotatively supported in said bearing means intermediateits ends and adapted to interconnectingly engage into the tubular endsof said aligned beam sections, fastening means for fixedly holding saidconnecting shaft in the end of one of said beam sections, a gearattached to each of said beam sections one on each side of said bearingmeans, a pair of pinions held in mesh with said gears and operablyconnected for joint rotation and transmission of the rotative movementof one of said beam sections to the other of said beam sections.

4. A warp knitting machine or the like provided with aligned tubularbeam sections, of a fixed bearing member, a connecting shaft rotativelysupported in said fixed bearing member with the ends of the connectingshaft interconnectingly engaging the ends of adjacent tubular beamsections, means for positively fastening one end of said connectingshaft to its beam section, means for rotatably supporting the other ofsaid beam sections on said connecting shaft, a spur gear carried by eachof said beam sections, a pinion held in mesh with each of said gears,and a shaft operatively connecting said pinions.

5. A combined bearing support and driving connection for two alignedbeam sections of a warp knitting machine or thelike, comprising meansfor rotatively supporting adjacent ends of said beam sections, a gearfixedly mounted on one of said beam sections, a corresponding gearloosely mounted on the other of said beam sections, a jack shaft, a pairof pinions carried by said jack shaft, and means for adjusting said jackshaft to hold said pinions in mesh with said gears.

6. A beam section supporting and connecting structure as set forth inclaim 5, in which said jack shaft is mounted in a swinging bracket, andincluding locking means for adjustably holding said bracket.

7. A beam section supporting and connecting structure as set forth inclaim 5, in which said jack shaft is mounted in an eccentric bearingmember, and including means for operating said bearing member to holdsaid pair of pinions in mesh with said gears.

JOSEPH BROOKE ADAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 16,306 Dawley Dec. 23, 1856775,336 Meats Nov. 22, 1994 951,449 Petersen Mar. 8, 1910 1,564,162Wiese Dec. 1, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,963 GreatBritain of 1888

